Antonelli tops extended FP3 as Hamilton crash disrupts Spanish GP practice
Kimi Antonelli ended the final free practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix fastest, beating Charles Leclerc by almost two-tenths of a second at Madrid’s new Madring circuit.
Oscar Piastri finished third, ahead of Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, after an extended session punctuated by red flags and an unusual suspension. The result strengthens Mercedes’ early weekend showing after Antonelli also topped Friday’s running — a trend covered in our full Friday recap from the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix.
The session was twice stopped. Lewis Hamilton brought out the first F1 red flag after crashing his Ferrari into the barriers on the outside of the final corner with just under 25 minutes completed. With the front wing of his SF-26 tucked beneath the car, Hamilton initially attempted to return to the pits despite repeated instructions from Ferrari to park the car.
He eventually complied, but the decision to continue circulating in a damaged car could attract the stewards’ attention. A sporting penalty, potentially including a grid penalty, remains possible, although Hamilton had not yet been formally noted for investigation. The crash also denied him the opportunity to complete a late qualifying simulation and raised the possibility of floor damage.
Red flags reshape the final hour
The opening phase was subdued, with Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg the first drivers to leave the pits. Both set 1:35.7s on medium tyres. Arvid Lindblad’s start was delayed after Racing Bulls changed his chassis following his FP2 crash, while the team avoided breaking curfew overnight.
Alex Albon also ended his session early after lightly contacting the wall in the final sector. Williams later confirmed that the impact damaged the rear axle and suspension. Carlos Sainz survived a separate moment at Turn 7, locking up heavily and narrowly avoiding the wall.
Leclerc briefly established the quickest time of the weekend with a 1:33.332, before dipping into the 1:32s with a 1:32.963. The FIA then suspended proceedings with 15 minutes remaining to limit the loss of running. The session resumed after the scheduled finish, allowing Verstappen and Lindblad to get meaningful track time.
Antonelli ultimately took control as the times continued to fall. With less than a minute left, Ollie Bearman crashed heavily into the Turn 11 wall, destroying his Haas and ending FP3. His participation in qualifying was consequently placed under threat.
Simone Scanu
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.